The Fine Arts
at the Enlarged City School District
of Middletown, New York

curriculum

Joseph Abramo (Instrumental Music, General Music - Middletown High School): Joe teaches music theory, Advanced Musical Structures and guitar at Middletown High School. He has also taught at Kean University in Union, NJ and Orange County Community College. In December 2008 he will complete a Doctorate in Music Education at Teachers College, Columbia University. Joe’s dissertation, also to be completed in December 2008, examines how students’ gender influences their participation in popular music in the classroom. Other research interests include multiculturalism, poststructuralism, constructivism, and cultural studies. He has presented at conferences for the American Education Research Association, International Association for the Study of Popular Music, and The International Conference on Social Justice in Music Education. He has also presented lectures at colleges in the Northeast including the Crane School of Music and Westminster Choir College. He has also published in the Music Education Research and Visions of Research in Music Education journals.

Stephen Austin (Instrumental Music - Middletown High School):

Mr. Stephen Austin is beginning his 11th year as the Director of Bands at Middletown High School. During the past decade Mr. Austin's students has been selected for All-County, Area All-State, and All-State bands and orchestras. They have also participated in the NYSBDA and All-Eastern Honor Bands. During the past three years 3 MHS Band students were selected as members of the Hershey's All-USA Band. During the 2006-07 school Mr. Austin and the MHS Trumpet Ensemble, Woodwind Quintet, and Saxophone Quartet were invited to perform at the State Capitol as part of Music in Our Schools Month.

Aside from teaching Concert Band, Wind Ensemble, and Instrumental Lessons, Mr. Austin also directs the MHS Jazz Ensemble and the Marching Middies after school.

Mr. Austin is very active in the local music scene. He just finished his term as President of the Orange County Music Educators Association and is now beginning his duties as Past President. Mr. Austin can be seen performing on trumpet, throughout the Hudson Valley, with Brass Quintessence and the New York Swing Exchange.

Gregory Bennett (K - 12 Music Department Chair / Vocal Music - Middletown High School): Mr. Bennett is a former student and graduate of Middletown schools. He is presently in his fifteenth year of teaching at Middletown High School. He has earned an Associate of Arts degree from Orange County Community College, graduated cum laude with a degree in Applied Music/Vocal Music Performance from SUNY New Paltz, and has a Master's degree in Humanistic/Multicultural Education, also from SUNY New Paltz. In addition, Mr. Bennett has completed graduate coursework in Music Education at the University of Connecticut, and has recently begun coursework in Educational Administration at SUNY New Paltz. Mr. Bennett is currently in his third year as the K-12 Music Department Chair position for the Enlarged City School District of Middletown. He takes pride in being able to work within a program that has developed a reputation for excellence within our area. He strives to give back the same quality teaching that was afforded to him when he was a student here in Middletown. Mr. Bennett works to incorporate many more opportunities that help to enrich all his students as musicians. Mr. Bennett has been nominated several time to Who's Who Among America's Teachers, Disney's "Teacher of the Year" awards, and was the recipient of the 2000 Helen Hayes Theatre Award for Educational Impact for the MHS Spring Musical production, "West Side Story."

Joseph Calderon (Vocal Music - Maple Hill Elementary): Joseph Calderon, Vocal Music Instructor- Mr. Calderon is a graduate from Lycoming College in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. He has taught music at St. Luke’s School in New Canaan, Connecticut, Saddle River Day School in Saddle River New Jersey, Tuxedo Park School in Tuxedo, and Port Jervis School District. He enjoys integrating music and technology so students can enjoy their aesthetic music experience.

Ryan Carlozzi (Instrumental Music - Monhagen Middle School): Ryan Carlozzi, Band Director - Mrs. Carlozzi is in her 2nd year at Monhagen Middle School. Prior to teaching for Middletown, she taught band in Yorktown, VA and Nottoway Va. A native of Richmond, VA, Mrs. Carlozzi has a B.A. from Virginia Tech and a M.M. from Virginia Commonwealth University.

Erica Coppola (Vocal Music - Mechanicstown / Chorley): Ms. Coppola is a 2006 graduate from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and holds a Bachelors degree in Music Education with a Voice/Choral emphasis. Her student teaching placement was in the Bethlehem Central School District in the capital district. She taught 1-5 general music and chorus plus 9-12 choir and music theory. Throughout her musical career, which started at a very young age, she performed at many community service events, nursing homes, fairs, and churches. For four summers Ms. Coppola spent a week at SUNY Fredonia for their Summer Choral Music Program. Throughout her college career she has performed with the Crane Concert Choir at the Music Educators National Conference Convention in Baltimore, Maryland at St. Thomas’ Church during the American Choral Directors Association Convention in New York City. She is very excited to be in Middletown teaching general music at Mechanicstown and Chorley. Ms. Coppola is currently working on her Masters in Music Education degree at the University of Connecticut and will be completed in the summer of 2009. In her free time she loves watching football, baseball and NASCAR, traveling, going to the gym, shopping, reading, and spending time with her family and friends.

Brian Chichester, Visual Arts Instructor: Brian Chichester is a graduate from SVA (School of Visual Arts) in Manhattan. He received his Bachelors Degree in Cartooning and Illustration, while becoming certified as a New York State Art Instructor. Brian taught at the Monroe Woodbury Middle School before teaching at the Twin Towers Middle School here in Middletown. Presently, he is teaching Art in his Creative Crafts and Studio Art classes at the Middletown High School.

Janet W. Andrews-Coyle- Janet has been teaching for eight years, seven of those at the Enlarged City School District of Middletown. She teaches sixth and seventh grade Art. During art class students are provided with the opportunity to experiment with different art media, while enhancing their knowledge through interdisciplinary art lessons. Mrs. Andrews-Coyle also supervises the Monhagen Art Club after school once a week. Students explore various art concepts, and media while further developing their own creative, artistic side. She also designed and painted the scenery for the Monhagen Drama Club productions including: Sleepy Hollow- Fall 2001, Bye Bye Birdie-Spring 2002, Miracle on 34^th Street –Winter 2002, Music Man-Spring 2003, Santa Claus the Musical-Winter 2003, Annie-Spring 2004, Sleepy Hollow-Fall 2004, The Wizard of Oz-Spring 2005. She is a 2001 graduate from New York Institute of Technology with a Master of Science in Educational Technology and a 1995 graduate from SUNY New Paltz with a Bachelor of Science in Art Education, and a Bachelor of Science in Visual Arts, NYS teaching certification for Art Education K-12. In 1991 she graduated from Cazenovia College with an Associate in Applied Science in Studio Art. In Mrs. Andrews-Coyle's free time she enjoys horses, as well as riding and competing, (Olympics Here We Come!) spending time with my animals cats, dogs etc., swimming, walking, gardening, shopping, museums, traveling and drawing & painting.

Rebecca Cole (Choral Music – Twin Towers Middle School): Rebecca Cole is in her first year as the Choral Music teacher at Twin Towers Middle School. She graduated magna cum laude from the Ithaca College School of Music in May 2007 with a degree in music education. She studied piano with Jennifer Hayghe and Read Gainsford, voice with Jennifer Kay and Shawn Puller, and conducting with Janet Galvan. Miss Cole won second place at the March 2007 American Choral Directors' Association (ACDA) National Undergraduate Student Conducting Competition in Miami, Florida. Last year she held an internship with the Ithaca Children’s Choir, and was on the faculty of the 2007 Choral Music Experience at Ithaca College, working with the Ithaca Children’s Choir and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City. Miss Cole conducts 6^th Grade Chorus and Concert Choir at Twin Towers, and also teaches general music.

Megan Creenan (Strings Teacher): Megan started playing the violin in the fourth grade at Union-Pleasant Elementary School in her home town of Hamburg, NY (near Buffalo). She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina where she earned a Bachelors degree in Music Education and a Masters degree in violin performance. While at USC, she taught for six years in the USC string project, a unique teacher training program offering violin, viola, cello, and bass lessons to students in neighboring school districts in Columbia, SC. After finishing her coursework, Ms. Creenan spent the next nine years in the William Floyd School District on Long Island, during which she taught grades three through eight. Many of her students attended all-county festivals, NYSSMA solo and NYSSMA Major Organization festivals. Ms. Creenan has served as chairperson for LISFA festivals (Long Island String Festival) as well as William Floyd’s own in-district festivals. While on Long Island, Ms. Creenan performed regularly with the Sound Symphony, as well as with local bands. In her free time, she loves to cook and is a huge fan of the food network. She also enjoys yoga and looking at her pet goldfish.

Ms. Creenan is honored to join the Middletown staff and bring a brand new program to life.

Tonie DePasquale (Vocal Music - Maple Hill Elementary): Ms. DePasquale has been teaching music in the Middletown School District for 10 years. Prior to that she taught music in the Wallkill Central School District. She has a Bachelor's Degree from SUNY New Paltz in Music Therapy and a Master's degree in Music Education from Western Conn. State University. Ms. DePasquale completed her Orff Music Education training, level one, at The College of St. Rose, Albany, NY with Vivian Murray. She studied with Randy DeLelles and Jeff Kriske in Las Vegas, NV where she completed Orff levels two and three. Ms. DePasquale performs regularly with The PastTells, a local dance/party band, where she sings and plays alto saxophone. Currently, she is studying with Tim Price in New York City, trying to polish her skills on the alto saxophone.

Kimberly Dodge (Visual Arts Instructor-Twin Towers): Mrs. Dodge teaches 6th and 7th grade Art and heads up the Art Club at Twin Towers Middle School. Prior to teaching, she enjoyed a 19-year professional career as a wallcovering and fabric designer, beginning at F. Schumacher in New York City. Mrs. Dodge has a B.F.A. from Syracuse University and has completed additional coursework at SUNY/New Paltz and the New York Institute of Technology.

Jacob Eisenman (Instrumental Music - Twin Towers Middle School): Jacob Eisenman is in his second year as Instrumental Music teacher at Twin Towers Middle School. He is currently director as well as team-teaches both school bands and runs the after-school Jazz program. He has earned a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education from State University of New York in Fredonia, graduating Magna cum Laude, and a Master of Music degree in Music Performance from Ithaca College. His teachers have included Wildy Zumwalt, Steven Mauk, and Michael Reid. In 1999, Eisenman was a concerto winner at SUNY Fredonia while also earning a “Performance Certificate” award. In 2006, he was a finalist for The United States Army Band, “Pershing's Own.” Eisenman still leads an active role as a member of Kappa Delta Pi, MENC, and IAJE.

Gregory Farina, Visual Arts Instructor-Mr. Farina received a B.A. in Fine Arts from the Ohio Dominican University, where he was certified to teach Visual Arts K-12. In addition, he holds an M.S. in Instructional Technology from the New York Institute of Technology. Mr. Farina has been teaching art for twelve years. He has spent eight of those years in the Middletown School District.

Kathryn Lucas (Vocal Music–Middletown High School): Ms. Hopper, a former student and 2001 graduate of Middletown High School, has returned as a vocal music teacher after spending the past two years teaching in the Pine Bush Central School District. In 2005 she received a BS in Music Education from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania and is currently working towards her MS in Adolescent Special Education from SUNY New Paltz. While working on her undergraduate degree, Ms. Hopper took part in courses at Messiah College focusing on musical theater production. During this time, Ms. Hopper also had the honor of performing with the Harrisburg Symphony Orchestra under director / composer Stuart Molina, as well as participating in two international choir tours. Ms. Hopper is excited to now be working within the program and with the teachers that had such a profound influence on her.

Steven Hoskins (Vocal Music - Chorley Primary Center): As of 2006, Mr. Hoskins will have his first year teaching at Chorley Primary School in Middletown, NY. Previously he has taught in Caroline County, VA for a middle school chorus position. He has been educated at Nazareth College of Rochester and graduated with a BM certified to teach Birth through 12th Grade Music. He is excited and anxious to teach primary, and is proud to be in Middletown working alongside his colleagues and friends.

Antoinette Iemma (Vocal Music - Monhagen Middle School): A native of Suffern, New York, Antoinette Iemma is excited to make her teaching debut as a sixth grade chorus and seventh grade general music teacher at Monhagen Middle School. She holds a B.M. in Music Education and Vocal Performance from SUNY Fredonia and recently graduated from the Manhattan School of Music where she received a Masters degree in Vocal Performance. Miss Iemma has also been a private voice and piano teacher for four years.

Shannon Craig (Music-Mechanicstown) is one of the general music teachers at Mechanicstown School, and is also in charge of 5th grade chorus and the production of the school play. This is her sixth year at Mechanicstown School and her tenth year in the Middletown School District.

Shannon received her Bachelor of Music degree at Ithaca College and her Master of Music degree at the University of Connecticut. Shannon lives in Pennsylvania and is very proud to be part of the Middletown school community.

Michael Kochem (Instrumental Music - Monhagen Middle School): Michael Kochem holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. He is new to the Middletown community, previously holding a position as instrumental music teacher and band director at a Kindergarten through eighth grade elementary school in northern Delaware. Also in this position, he served as Technical Director for school musicals and other productions, as well as chairing a Subcommittee for the Arts during the school’s Middle States accreditation process. Mr. Kochem has also remained active as a tubist, performing with various community ensembles, pit orchestras, and the Dover Symphony Orchestra in Delaware.

Jean McCord, Visual Arts Instructor-Ms. McCord has been voted by IBC as International Educator of the Year 2003, and is a charter member of the World Peace and Diplomacy forum from Cambridge, England. She will be listed for her achievements this year in Barron's Who's Who of American Educators. She has exhibited her work in Lisbon, Portugal , Cambridge, England, Manilla /Philipines, Japan, and Vancouver Canada. This summer her work was exhibited in Dublin, Ireland.

Amanda Mita (Instrumental Music - Twin Towers Middle School): Amanda Mita is in her third year of teaching Instrumental music at Twin Towers Middle School. Mrs. Mita conducts the 6^th Grade and Concert Bands, along with Mr. Eisenman, and teaches general music. She also runs the after school music recording studio Basement Records. Mrs. Mita is a 2003 graduate of the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam, with a degree in music education. In 2004, she earned her Master’s Degree in Childhood Education from SUNY Potsdam. As a violist Mrs. Mita performs with local orchestras and chamber groups.

Roberta Monkash (General Music/Dance - Twin Towers Middle School): Roberta Monkash is a professional dancer, choreographer, musician, theater director, and writer. She resides with her family in Monroe, New York. Ms. Monkash has performed as a solo dancer throughout the East Coast and in Israel. She has appeared as a featured soloist at the 92nd Street Y in Manhattan and for many years danced with her companies,Soaring Dance Theatre and Al Knafayim. Her choreographies have graced the productions of countless community theatre groups throughout New York. Ms. Monkash attended the High School of Performing Arts as a piano major. She holds a B.A. in musicology from New York Uhniversity, a Graduate Certificate in Psychomotor Therapy from New York Medical College, and a M.A. in Kinesiology from Goddard College, and has New York State teaching certifications in both Dance Education and Music education. She has directed and choreographed shows for the Helen Hayes Youth Theater in Nyack, New York. She currently is the performing arts teacher at Twin Towers Middle School in Middletown, New York. Additionally, Ms. Monkash maintains a private studio where she teaches dance and theater and gives piano lessons.

Pete Panse (Visual Arts Instructor-Middletown High School): Pete Panse has taught Art in Middletown for over twenty years. He earned two college degrees in Art Education, and a sixty credit Masters in Fine Arts degree at the New York Academy of Art, where he studied figurative drawing, painting and sculpture. His personal art production is concerned with the expressive qualities of the human form, which he explores through drawing media, egg tempera and oil paint. He continues to investigate new and traditional methods of teaching, through extensive reading, workshops and reflective techniques.

Kristen Patrick (Vocal Music - Truman Moon Primary Center): Kristen Patrick is in her 5^th year of teaching vocal/ general music to grades kindergarten and first at Truman Moon Primary Center. Kristen received her Bachelors degree in music education from Nazareth College of Rochester in 2003 with an emphasis in voice and piano. She also holds a Masters degree in Special Education from Mount Saint Mary College. Prior to teaching in Middletown, Kristen taught private piano and voice lessons for 10 years and was a Gold Cup judge for piano. Kristen is currently an active member of Kappa Delta Pi and MENC.

Karen Rhein (Visual Arts Instructor-Mechanicstown): Karen Rhein teaches art to third, fourth, and fifth grade students at Mechanicstown School. She comes to the district with professional experiences in the arts in advertising and design and mural painting and enjoys running and museum visits during "free" time. Mrs. Rhein holds a bachelor's degree in Art Education and a soon-to-be completed master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction. Her lessons in the visual arts include interdisciplinary connections with music, language arts, social studies, science, math, library, and technology.

Danielle Strommer, Visual Arts Instructor -Ms. Strommer received a B.A. in Art Education with a concentration in painting from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is certified to teach Visual Arts, K-12. She is currently pursuing her Masters Degree in Art Education, also at SUNY/New Paltz. She is a painter in her free time. Some of Ms. Strommer's students' work may be seen at Artsonia.

Jennifer Wentworth (Vocal Music - Monhagen Middle School): Jennifer Wentworth is originally from Oswego, NY. She is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia where she studied voice under Julie Newell. While at SUNY Fredonia, she was able to study musicology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland for a semester. After graduating, Jennifer held two long-term teaching positions at both Maroun Elementary (grades 3-5) in Phoenix, NY, and Camillus Middle School (grades 6-8) in West Genesee, NY. She is strongly trained in Kodaly sight-reading skills, and instills to each of her students to be independent musicians.

Dana Herm (Visual Arts Instructor - Twin Towers): Dana has been an Art teacher at Twin Towers Middle School since 1998 and in July of 2006 was appointed K-12 Art Department Chair. Prior to teaching at Twin Towers she taught Art in grades pre k-8 at both Mt. Carmel and St. Joseph's Parochial Schools in Middletown. Before deciding to become an Art major, Dana studied Dance at SUNY Brockport. In 1993 she received a BS in Interdisciplinary Arts for Children with an Art Emphasis and a minor in Arts Management from SUNY Brockport. This degree combined her passion for Dance and Art. In 2002 she received her MS in Art Education from SUNY New Paltz.

Lennie Kay Colon (Visual Arts Instructor - Monhagen): Lennie Kay has been teaching Art at Monhagen Middle School since it opened in 1997. Prior to teaching at Monhagen she worked as a Special Education instructor at Greenburgh Graham U.F.S.D. in Hastings NY and Leake and Watts in Yonkers, NY. She has enjoyed working with several clubs at Monhagen, currently, she is the Student Council Advisor. She graduated from St. Michael's College in Colchester, VT with a BS in Business Administration. She worked in an advertising agency for two years before enrolling in the College of New Rochelle where she received a MA in Art Education.
Lucas Rau (Vocal Music, General Music–Middletown High School): Lucas joined the Middletown music department in the spring of 2008. He teaches Music in Our Lives, Advanced Music Structures, Men’s Ensemble and Keyboarding at Middletown High School. Lucas received his BM in music education from the Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam and has received several honors and awards as a young performer including singing with the Santa Fe Desert Chorale, serving as a vocal apprentice at the Berkshire Choral Festival, and taking first place at a NATS (National Association of Teachers of Singing) competition. Lucas plans to pursue graduate studies in choral conducting.